Something To "Mitch" About

Good on the Saskatchewan Roughriders for holding training camp in Saskatoon this year, but its been tough down here not being able to get up to Saskatoon to get a look at things seeing I've been working. I'm looking forward to seeing the guys once they get back here, but that won't be for a while yet. In the meantime, I can only go on what I'm hearing. One would think there aren't too many roster spots up for grabs and I'm not hearing any talk yet of this veteran or that veteran being on the bubble, but I would have to think there are a couple that are. There are a couple of guys that I've been told have looked good in the first week of camp--they are defensive back Ramzee Robinson, linebacker Brian Peters, receiver Alex Anthony and receiver Kierrie Johnson. In fact, many are wondering just why B.C let Johnson go as one person said he has perhaps been the best Rider in the first week.

In the end, it doesn't matter how well you practice, it matters how well you play. The Riders will finally get that chance Friday night in Edmonton and that is when certain guys will show if they have it or if they don't in a game situation as is the case every year. I would think a lot of the established starters like Durant. Sheets, Dressler, Labatte, Shologan, etc. etc will get the night off, but that decision is left to the coaches as is the decision as to how much they will play when Calgary is here on the 20th.
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Would everyone be talking up the Hamilton Tiger-Cats if Kent Austin wasn't the head coach of the football team? Take nothing away from Austin, but why does everyone feel that he is going to come in and automatically do with Hamilton what he did with the Riders in 2007. Yes, I think he has a better team on paper---at least on offence, but that defence was god-awful last year and you can't turn it completely around in one year. Will Shomari Williams and James Patrick make that much of a difference? I still think Toronto is better than Hamilton right now and Montreal may be as well.
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Who do you take #1 in a CFL fantasy draft?
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A story has been making the rounds about the U of R student who has been given a 17,500 dollar grant to study female Rider fans. I thought many a guy, me included, have been doing that for years. Seriously, is it just me or is this a waste of money? Good on the young lady who got the money and I hope she uses it for what its supposed to and compiles a decent report, but I can't help think that in these times when post-secondary education is cutting here and cutting there that this 17 and a half grand could be better used.
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Is it safe to say there are some players in CFL training camps who would get their ass handed to them by Serena Williams. The woman scares me!
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I'm not crazy about the name Ottawa Redblacks, but having seen the video I understand the rationale behind the name. I can't wait until their first game at Mosaic when they play the "greenwhites".

Like I said at the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs, it will be a Boston-Chicago Stanley Cup final. One has to wonder how Leaf fans are reacting to Boston being in knowing they were so close to knocking them out in the first round and would have had it not been for the choke of chokes. I would have to say Boston's luck may have run out on them now though. I think Chicago has a little too much for Boston and with Patrick Kane seemingly finding his touch again, I don't know if Boston has it in them to hoist the Cup. We'll find out starting Wednesday, but I will take Chicago in 6.
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The knives are out in Pittsburgh. It would seem as if Penguins fans want Dan Bylsma to be canned a-s-a-p after what was a miserable conference final. I heard a segment on NHL Radio where Penguins fans went off on what should be done in the off-season with one fan suggesting that the team perhaps trade Evgeni Malkin to find some second and third line scoring. GM Ray Shero is taking a lot of heat as well for trades that did nothing for the club in the long run, but what did Pittsburgh really give up for Brenden Morrow and Jarome Iginla? Not a lot. Pittsburgh's biggest decision in the off-season is what to do with Marc-Andre Fleury, He has hurt them in back-to-back playoffs and its time for Pittsburgh to find someone who can take over once Tomas Vokoun is done. It is clear that Vokoun is the guy the Penguins should be running with unless they can get another decent upgrade.
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The Edmonton Oilers may have done a first on the weekend when they fired their head coach via Skype. Modern technology does allow you to do that, but to me it seems like GM Craig MacTavish was playing the role of a Grade 11 boy who didn't have the sack to tell his girl in person that they were through. You've gotta make that move face-to-face in the same room don't you? That being said, I'm not disappointed to see Ralph Krueger go and Dallas Eakins come in. I do think though that the Oilers career of Sam Gagner will end as he could very well go to Toronto in a deal that brings Jake Gardiner to Edmonton. I can see it now because of Eakins' days in the Toronto system.  Could his presence in Edmonton mean free agent to be Tyler Bozak comes to Edmonton. One would assume if that happens, Regina will definitely be an Oilers town with Jordan Eberle and Bozak on the squad.
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I drove past the Northgate Mall on Sunday only to see a brand new paved parking lot in the area where Target will be with the lot remaining the same for other mall customers. You wouldn't want to blacktop that whole area wouldja? I'm thinking Target is paying the costs for the re-paving so why not just re-pave the whole lot.
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If you love sports memorabilia, you need to go see Trent Herda at Legends which is right across the street from Northgate. What a treasure trove he has. I could spend hours (and big dollars) in a place like that.
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Children must cry when they see Miami Heat forward Chris Anderson. "The Birdman" might be the ugliest professional athlete I've ever seen and that includes former Eskimos lineman Hec Pothier!
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Like him or not, the Lebron James stuff in the 4th quarter of Game 2 on was one to applaud. What a play! That might go down as one of the top plays of the year.
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TSN has started out its CFL ads by showing Chad Owens MMA fighting and Travis Lulay fishing. Who is the Rider they will showcase and what will he be doing. Could it be Brendon Labatte racing his car around the track?
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I've only seen him in the ring once, but I'm a fan of the "Outlaw Adam Knight".
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I'm not lazy, I'm just on energy saving mode!
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Have a great Monday, and yeah, that includes you!!